Thread-tensioning device



L. VEILLEUX AND P. H. LEVEQUE.

THREAD TENSIONING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 0cT.30. 1919.

Patented Oct. 19,1920.

2 SHEETISSHEEVT 1.

L. VEILLEUX AND P. H. LEVEQUE.

THREAD TENSIONING DEVICE.

APPUCATION FILED ocrjso. 1919.

1,356,026. I Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

2 SHEETSSVHEET 2.

2/ amen cow J. ifs'luiux Qmmm 261574005 Gum/Mega UNITED, STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS VEILLEUX AND PHILIP LEVEQUE, OF NEW BEDFOBD, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNORS'OF ONE-THIRD TO JOSEPH BARNES, OF NEV BEDFORD, MASSACHU- SETTS.

,THREAD-TENSIONING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented O t. 19 1920 Application filed October 30, 1919. Seria1'-No.'334,411.

To all whom it may; concern:

Be it known tlTl21t.W6,-LQUIS VnrLLnUx and PHILIP H. LEVEQUE, citizens of the .United States, residing at New'Bedford, in the countyof Bristol and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-Tensioning Devices; and we do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. F f

. This invention relates to improvements in thread tensioning devices. I

One object of theinvention is to provide a device of the above :mentiohedcharacter in which the construction is such thatthread will be passed beneath a friction member, which normally retainsit underthe proper or desired tension, the friction member. being automatically released from excessive pressure upon the thread by the action of the thread itself. i s f Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which is readily and effectively adj ustable to various sizes of bobbins or other like members which may be employed therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character whichis simple inconstruction, yet highly effective in use, one which is strong, 7 durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a, device constructed in accordance. with our invention. i Fig. 2 is a like view, partly in section, of the opposite side of the device. a 1

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is perspective view of a portion of the supporting frame with the tensioning device removed. I

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the friction shoe supporting arm Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view ofthe friction shoe. i

port (not shown).

In carrying out our inventionwe employ a supportlng frame which is adapted to be secured to a machine or other support, and

which has means associated therewith to retain a bobbin thereon. The thread leading from the bobbin is passed over this supporting frame 1 which carries tensioning mechanism 2. The latter normally presses the thread against the support and retains it under tension. The construction and arrangement of this tension mechanism 2 is such that it will be automatically operated by theaction of the thread to reduce excessive friction andpermita'more free passa e'ofthe thread over the frame.

Feferringj more specifically to the construction of these parts as shown in. the

drawings it will be seen that the frame 1 for this purpose. The bracket 3 is provided adjacent its upper end with an offset por tion 8 having a slot 9 therein. The frame also includes an adjustable arm 10 which is secured to the bracket 3 by means of a fastening bolt 11. Bolt 11 extends through the slot 9 and through thearm 10 and retains the arm'lO on the bracket 3 when the nut'12 is tightened, as is obvious. tionserves to permit several sizes of bobbins to be used. That is, when it is desired to' use a bobbin of a greater height than the one shown, the nut 12 is loosened and the moved laterally with. respect to the bracket tion permits the arm tobe folded down after the bobbin 7 is removed, thereby making the device very compact. The outer free This construc l 3, thereby bringing the eye 13 directly above T the bobbin 7. 'Ofcourse too, this construcend of the arm 10 is provided with an offset head 14 which is bifurcated as at 15 to facilitate the insertion of the thread. The head is also provided with a transverse notch 16 and a thread passage 17 the pur pose of which will be more fully disclosed in the following description.

The tension mechanism 2 includes a friction shoe 18 which is pivotally mounted on the head 1-1 and which is adapted to press the thread against the upper face of the head 14 over which the thread passes, thereby retarding its passage and placing it under tension. The entire shoe is not designed to bear against the thread, as the friction would be too great. So, we provide the shoe with an enlarged downwardly projecting portion 19 which is designed to fit in and pressthe thread into the notch 16, thereby preventing excessive friction, yet providing sufficient friction to retain the thread under tension. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for retaining the shoe 18 in position on the frame, but we prefer to employ an arm or thread actuating lever, designated as a whole by thenumeral 20, and we pivot this lever between its end on the supporting frame and in turn pivot the friction shoe on the same. The construction of this arm or lever is more clearly shown in Fig. 5. By reference to this figure it will be seen that the arm is constructed from a single piece of wire which is bent between its ends as at 21 to form a pivot for the shoe. One end 22 is bent laterally to form a pivot for the arm and this portion extends through the head 14 as shown at 23. The opposite end is also bent laterally in the same direction and its extremity turned up to form a thread guide 24 over which the thread passes. The shoe is normally pressed against the thread by its own weight and by an additional weight 25 carried by the arm 20. This weight 25 is readily adjustable on the arm 20 to decrease or increase the pressure of the shoe on the thread, and when the pressure is greater the tension is also greater and vice versa. During the operation of the device the thread passes through the eye 13, under the portion 19 of the shoe, through the thread passage 17, over the thread guide 24- and under a second thread guide 26 to the spool or other device upon which it is to be wound or to which it is fed. The friction shoe normally retains the thread under sufficient or desired tension, and when the tension becomes too great, the action of the thread on the guide 24 will automatically raise the friction shoe slightly. thereby reducing the tension. However, as soon as the thread becomes slack again, the action of the weight 25 will return the friction shoe to its original or normal position. The thread guide 26 serves to retain the thread in contact with the guide 24 at all times and it also serves to increase the tension on the thread. It is obvious, that without this additional guide 26, the arm 20 would not readily tilt. In other words, by moving this member 26, which is adjustable, to and from the guide 2st, the arm 20 will be tilted downward much easier when the thread is pulled. For instance by moving it closer to the guide 241: the thread will incline almost directly downward toward the arm 10, hence, a slighter, pull on the thread will actuate the friction shoe. The construction of this member 26 is such that it may be adjustable longitudinally and vertically with respect to the thread guide 2%. We prefer to construct it from a single piece of wire as shown. This wire is bent at one end to form a loop portion 27, and it is bent laterally at its opposite end as at 28 and extends over the arm 10. A screw 29, passes through the loop 27 and retains the device in position and permits it to be adj usted to various positions.

It is believed that the foregoing description is suflicient to enable any one skilled in the art to clearly understand the manner in which the device is used and operates, and further description is therefore deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement [of parts of the invention may be resorted to .without departing from the spirit of the invention or' the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. A device of the class described comprising a supporting, frame over which a thread is adapted to pass, a lever pivoted between its ends on said supporting frame, a friction shoe pivotally mounted on the lever, it serving to press the thread against the support, and counter-balancing means on said lever, said means being such that it is overcome at times by the action of the thread on the lever, thereby automatically varying the tension of the thread.

2. A device of the character set forth comprising a supporting frame over which a thread is to be passed, an arm pivotally mounted on said supporting frame, a friction shoe pivotally mounted on said arm and normally pressing the thread on the supporting frame, said arm having a thread guide at its free end, and an adjustable 120 weight on said arm.

3. A device of the character set forth comprising a supporting frame over which a thread is to be passed, an arm pivot'ally mounted on said supporting frame, a shoe 126 pivoted on the arm, said arm being composed of a single piece of wire, the intermediate portion being bent to form a pivot for the friction shoe, a portion of the wire being bent laterally and passed through 1 the supporting frame to form a pivot for the arm, and another portion of the wire being bent laterally to form a thread guide.

at. A device of the character set forth comprising a supporting frame over which the thread is to be passed, means actuated by the thread to vary the tension of the thread, said means including a thread guide; and a second thread guide carried by said supporting frame, said last named thread guide being longitudinally and vertically adjustable with respect to the first named thread guide.

5. A device of the character set forth comprising a supporting frame over which the thread is to be passed, a friction shoe adapted to press the thread against the supporting frame, means actuated by the thread to vary the pressure of the shoe on the thread, said means including a thread guide; a second adjustable thread guide the latter being set our hands.

LOUIS VEILLEUX. PHILIP H. LEVEQUE. 

